I've google'd it and basically I get different answers with different people bashing those answers. I have a R56 Cooper (Non-S) and it has the Sport button. I've read that it tightens the steering, stiffens suspension, and/or keeps the rev's highers but people have said that those are all nonsense. So what does the button actually do?

 

Confusion might be from different generations. In the 3rd generation with Dynamic Damper Control you can adjust a suspension change with sport mode, otherwise it tightens up the electronic power steering and makes the throttle more aggressive.

Your car doesn't do suspension as far as I am aware of, but then again I don't know much about your car. The owners manual has a brief bit on it.

> Engine responds more spontaneously to
movements of the accelerator.
> Steering response is more direct.
With automatic transmission:
> More rapid gear shifting in Sport program

 

+1 to Minnie. Increases throttle sensitivity, stays in lower gear longer (for automatic) and makes the steering heavier.

 

If you have an N14 S its makes the exhaust burble and bang. If you have a JCW N14 it does it more. If you have an N18 it does it even more then that.

I have had the N12/n16 do it a little but it's really hard to, you have to gas hard and let off fast.

 

From what I’ve observed driving a manual R56 N18 for the past two months. It makes the steering stiffer, throttle input is more responsive and the exhaust gives a nice burble on downshifts and when letting off the gas.

 

I never got the pops and burble in my N14 S. I thought MINI intentionally took that feature away for 07-10 R56, and in the LCI they brought it back in the N18 engine.

 

They took most of it away. (then they brought it back in the N18..lol) If you run your N14 S on the track really hard in sport mode, let off the gas really quick after a hard pull( it will do it) my 2007 MCS did. You have to be quick. In my N14 JCW it does it on NON sport and really does it on sport. what i have found is the N14 S you have to warm up a good amount to do it. Aftermarket exhaust helps this also, it made it more noticeable on mine.

 

OK, whatever it does, I like it, so how do I make it the default?

 

Don't know if it'll work on a 2nd Gen car, but on my F56 I made it the default via coding with the bimmercode app.

 

I don't think you can code that in the second generation, at least never seen it talked about. We went through several threads of how to do it electronically with no success as I recall.

 

IIRC there was a small PC board that could be add/wired in the fuse panel that would accomplish the same thing. Can't recall offhand what it was called. I'm sure someone on here does though.

 

I have a 2009 Mini Cooper S 6 speed manual. I only ever drive with the sport button on. The car is in my opinion with argic from a dead stop without the sport button on. To me it's a world of difference with it on and off. I prefer the car with it on

 

Checked out the bimmercode app, but every vehicle it says it works on, their vehicle designation all start with the letter F (Minis and BMW.) Looked through the items that the iCarly app says it can do and there was no mention of the Sport Mode. I guess I will have to just add the button push to my post start up checklist.

I really don't notice any throttle difference, but I do like the added steering weight feel.

 

That's what I found to be the easiest solution when I had my R56.

 

I think you're talking about the FES Auto Sport module:
http://www.fes-auto.com/products_det...p?productid=24

Not sure where you can find it though, on their website it's listed in the Obsolete Products section

 

There is one here, but its for the R55-R59 platform.

https://www.ecstuning.com/Search/SiteSearch/Madness_Auto_Sport/

 

Same with mine. No changes except for the stiffer steering.
On my F56 you can hear the exhaust pops and feel the difference in throttle response.

 

I think it lowers the temp of the thermostat.

 

It will if you warm it up and run it hard in sport mode. Its not loud, but it does it.

 

Yes on the n14 and N18 i saw this, it goes down a couple of degrees. It opens up the electronic thermostat is my guess.

 

For the Gen2 "LCI" models (2011+ for the R56) with the N18 engine, the sport button does this:
1) changes the mapping from the accelerator pedal to the ECU commanded throttle position for faster response
2) adds burble and pop on accelerator lift off
3) opens the thermostat to drop the coolant temp to 180F
4) reduces the power steering assist

that's it.

 

On my 2011 R56S, the Sport button does all listed above by squawSkiBum, except for the coolant temp. I have a ScanGuage2, so I think I am reading the proper coolant temp. It always stays at 212-216 or so, never drops to 180. And the pops and burbles come and go when in Sport. It's not a constant thing, even when the car is fully warmed up, and I do the same exact revs/deceleration. Anyone else have the same deal going on? I mean Sport is Sport, so why do the pops and burbles come-and-go?

 

Yup I've noticed it on my JCW, after a while of constantly popping it'll go away for a little bit. Like the car gets tired and has to recover for a couple minutes before it starts popping again. No idea why!

 

This is from a MINI tech on reddit:

It has to do partly with the Valvetronic positioning and partly engine timing. Basically the engine becomes geared more towards performance and less toward economy.
Throttle response is increased by opening the valves more through the Valvetronic system and increasing valve overlap and using more aggressive (and slightly wasteful) timing per the VANOS system.

 

I have a 2008 'Just-a-Cooper' Automatic and Sport Button noticeably stiffens steering and steps up throttle pedal response.

Automatic transmission changes are the most noticeable modifications with more positive (stiffer up/down) shifting which is delayed on all accelerations (probably unchanged at full throttle though) and earlier down-shifting on all deceleration's.

It always starts in first, where it'll use second under partial throttle w/o SB.

It will never use sixth gear unless you paddle-shift it and then it will return to fifth shortly after, guess sixth is too much of an overdrive for sport.

I like to be able to select Sport mode if I'm in a hurry (rare) or stuck in heavy traffic (also usually avoided).

Have Scan Gauge II and not seen any change from normal 216f-218f. I imagine fuel efficiency is better at higher temperature.

When I toured the Rockies though, On long steep upgrades where Cruise Control kept the RPM's closer to Red Line (no Sport Button needed), Temperature would Consistently drop down and hold 180f until the load on the engine was reduced.
Art